6 times Schmidt was kind of Jess's best friend
by chuteney
Summary: ...and one time she was his. Nick/Jess & Schmidt/Cece.
1. Kryptonite

**hey roomfriends! i wrote this because i love the friendship between schmidt & jess and i'm sad that we haven't gotten to see much of it in the last few seasons sooo... remedied with a fanfic! there will be one chapter for each season of the show (plus a bonus because i'm COUNTING ON season 7). i tried to write them so they could all fit within canon, sort of like hidden scenes we just didn't get to see. mentions of nick/jess and schmidt/cece. schmidt/jess romance if you squint, but i didn't try to write it that way. to me, they're like brother & sister who sometimes joke about sleeping together **¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ **  
that was gross but thanks for reading! 💜**

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 **SEASON 1: Kryptonite**

"So, you're a closet _Curly Sue_ fan, huh?" Jess asked as she came back from her room, DVD in hand.

"Yeaaah, speaking of which…" he replied, sitting up a little straighter on the couch. "I told the guys I couldn't go to the bar with them because I had a date tonight, so if you mention this to anyone, I _will_ knife you."

She laughed and glared at him, a smug smile on her lips. "You'll _knife_ me?" Schmidt nodded soberly, and her eyes grew a little wider before she turned back to the television. He rolled his eyes before joining her in staring at the screen; he was obviously joking, but he wasn't going to correct her if she actually thought he was serious. Jess could think he was a little dangerous, he didn't mind; maybe she'd even pass it on to her model-friend Cecelia. He had a feeling that girl liked a little danger.

"Schmidt, I just wanted to say…" she said softly, wringing her hands like she was nervous. Jess had a tendency to want to talk through everything, although not everything _needed_ to be talked about. Schmidt wasn't used to being _friends_ with girls, he didn't like having deep conversations and airing out his feelings unless he was getting something out of it (meaning, sex). He knew he shouldn't have come back into the loft, he'd feared she'd want to stay up all night gossiping and painting her nails, but he really hoped to just relax and watch a good, old-fashioned 90s romantic comedy.

"Jess, I'm not really a 'talk during the movie' kind of guy. I like to get my money's worth, you know?"

"But you didn't pay for anything, it's my DVD-"

"Shhh," he interrupted, pressing a finger to her lips before leaning away.

"Okay," she said, and mouthed "sorry." They turned their attention to the movie once more, sitting in silence as Jim Belushi came on the screen.

"I know, no talking," she began, and he rolled his eyes and groaned inwardly. "But, do you want some popcorn?" He frowned for a moment, going over calorie-counts in his mind.

"Sure," he replied. "But no butter."

She looked like he slapped her. "The butter is the best part!"

"Yeah, no salt either. Basically, no flavorings of any kind."

"So what, you just want it to taste like air!?"

"Look at this body Jessica, do you think this happens without work? I've already eaten my five small meals today, you're lucky I said yes to popcorn at all."

"Well you know what, Schmidt? I think you could stand to live a little," she teased, sticking her tongue at him while she walked into the kitchen.

That sounded dangerous. He still didn't know Jess well enough to decode her phrases. "What does that mean? Jess? What are you doing?"

"I'm making caramel corn, and you are gonna eat it with me!"

He scoffed. "Oh no I am not!"

"Yes, you are! And if you gain anything at all, I will personally go to the gym with you tomorrow and you can yell at me while you run off the extra calories."

That sounded fair, plus he didn't think she would ever back down, so he threw up his hands in defeat and settled deeper into the couch. Just because she made the caramel corn didn't mean he had to eat any. Jess went to work in the kitchen, humming to herself as she poured the kernels into the air popper. _Why was she always singing?_ After a few minutes, the warm smell of caramel filled the loft, and he almost caught himself drooling before she came to rest beside him, the bowl of sinful treats in her hand. He hesitated before diving in, the sticky sugar coating his fingers more than he would have liked (but not enough to stop eating it).

"So...?"

"Alright fine, I admit it's better than the 'air' I wanted us to eat. Although I maintain that it's better to be healthy than filled with sugar and covered in caramel all the time."

"Fair enough," she sighed contentedly and laid her head against the back of the couch. "I can't believe people say this is the worst John Hughes movie, I love it!"

"Jess…"

"Right, sorry." She started fidgeting, like she just couldn't _not_ be doing something. "I mean, this was Jim Belushi at his prime, and that little girl is just adorable. I like to think I was that cute when I was her age. She-"

"Woman, do you ever stop talking?" Hurt flashed through her eyes before she could stop it, and he felt guilty but really, _did she ever stop?_ He groaned and apologized, and her eyes lit up again as she grabbed another handful of popcorn.

…

Time passed, and no, Jess didn't stop talking, but he didn't mind it as much as he thought he would. She actually didn't try to talk about anything deep or meaningful; Schmidt had come to realize that she just liked to talk. About nothing, about anything. And she seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say. It was kind of new, and he liked it. _Pure, unadulterated friendship._

"And what did you say?" she choked out, tears of laughter stinging her eyes. They were both doubled over on the couch, reliving their earlier expedition to get her stuff back from her ex-boyfriend's house. He was glad she could laugh about it now; it was preferable to all the crying she had been doing this week. "'Schmidt happens?' That was really good! Did you just come up with that?"

"I've actually been trying to make it my catchphrase for a few years now." She raised her eyebrows at that. "All the guys I'm aiming to be have a catchphrase: 'Make it work,' 'Seacrest, out,' 'Alright, alright, alright!'"

"You want to be Tim Gunn, Ryan Seacrest, and... Matthew McConaughey?"

"Of course I do Jess, why wouldn't I? Those guys have everything."

She laughed again and sighed into the cushion, playing with the unpopped kernels in the bottom of the popcorn bowl. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she leaned forward, practically jumping off the couch. "Oh Schmidt, Tim Gunn!? Why didn't you tell me you watch _Project Runway_! I LOVE _Project_ _Runway_! We should have viewing parties, we could dress up like our favorite judges and try to make high-fashion ball gowns out of stuff we find in Nick's room-"

"Aaaand, that's why I didn't tell you." She smirked at him, and he was glad to see she was finally understanding his sarcasm. They had a good rapport, she and him. It kind of felt like what he thought it would be to have a little sister.

"Anyway, I really appreciate everything you did for me with Spencer - all of you. You guys are amazing. I'm really lucky to live here," she murmured quietly, running her fingers through the tassels on their throw pillow. Schmidt blushed a little and looked away, this was the conversation he thought was coming and hoped to avoid. He didn't mind joking with her or debating the merits of all the John Hughes movies, but he didn't want to get too deep into "feelings" with this girl he just met a week or so ago. He actually didn't get deep with very many people; his father was never around, and his mother seemed like she'd rather be anywhere but in the same room as him. Nick was an exception of course, and he opened up a little with his college girlfriend Elizabeth, but never to anyone he didn't think was going to stick by his side long-term. Although, he wouldn't be surprised to see Jess hanging around the loft with them ten years from now. She seemed like the type to latch onto people and never let go.

"We don't mind having you around either, Jess." It was her turn to blush and she did so, her eyes shyly twinkling at him through her glasses. "Now please, just tell me you're done with that guy."

"I'm done," she said, her voice determined as if she was trying to tell it to herself. Schmidt tilted his head and stared at her, eyes narrowing. "No really, I mean it. I am _done_ with that guy."

"And you're not gonna pick his girlfriend up from the airport next Sunday?"

"Well that's not fair, just because I'm done with Spencer doesn't mean that I can't be a good person and help others in need…"

"Jess, are you serious!?" She tried to hold her expression, but soon she started laughing and gave herself away. Was she being sarcastic with _him_ now? "Wow. okay, you got me. That was good."

"Thank you." They shared a smile and he chuckled to himself, both focusing their attention back on the movie. It was almost over now, and he couldn't believe how long they had talked without realizing it.

"Also, can I just say one more thing? I'm honestly a little surprised that you haven't tried to hit on me tonight. I'm proud of you, Schmidt. You've grown so much in the last week I've known you."

"Yeah well, let's just say that I think you're off limits."

"Because I'm your roommate?"

"Yeah Jess, that's why. Because you're my roommate." And not at all because of a certain friend of his who hadn't been able to stop staring at Jess since the day she moved in. She shrugged with a smile and stood to refill their popcorn bowl. He sat back into the couch, watching as Jim Belushi seduced Kelly Lynch by playing the piano. Surely if someone like _Belushi_ could get a girl like that, he could get Cece... right? He'll ask Jess when she comes back.

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 **thank youuu for reading! hope to get "season2" up in the next couple of days. i have episode ideas for all the chapters, but let me know if there's something in particular you wanna see!**


	2. Eggs

**thanks for the sweet reviews! new girl fans are the best. without further ado, season 2! (btw, the song referenced is the one that played over the zoo scene at the end of the episode. little trivia for ya ;)**

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 **SEASON 2: Eggs**

Schmidt, Nick, and Winston all rolled their eyes as the song started over in Jess's bedroom. "Bun in the Oven" by Eleni Mandell had been playing on repeat for three hours straight, and Schmidt was beyond ready to snap the record in half. Why was Jess even listening to this song? It didn't apply! He knew the lyrics inside and out by now, it's not really that deep of a song. This chick has a bun in the oven but no man to care for it. That was not Jess's situation at all, how was this supposed to make her feel better? Schmidt sighed, shaking his head. Try as he might, he would never truly understand this woman.

"Well, someone should talk to her," Nick stated, breaking the silence in the kitchen. He stood off his bar stool and started off for Jess's room, when Winston interrupted.

"Hey guys, why don't we just leave? Matter of fact, why didn't we leave two hours ago, before I wished the 'man in the TV' would break through it and kill that depressed lady?"

"No, Nick's right," Schmidt responded. "This is my punishment for making the executive decision to let a girl move in here in the first place. I'll go in there."

"Or Schmidt, _I_ could-"

"I'm already going!" He thought he saw Nick's shoulders slump a little as he retreated back to his stool at the kitchen island, but Schmidt ignored it and knocked on Jess's door, calling her name as he pushed it open a crack. When she didn't throw anything at him, he entered her room and closed the door behind him. She sat up on her bed, making room for him without saying anything.

"Hey Jess, I just wanted to apologize for earlier. We were just messing around but I have a _feeling,_ " he quirked his eyebrow and not-so-subtly nodded toward the record player, "that you're taking it a little seriously."

"Of course I'm taking it seriously, Schmidt! I might not be able to have children, and you guys are all joking and laughing about which one of you gets to impregnate me! Still a no, by the way. For all three of you."

"Come on, you haven't even gotten your results yet! Plenty of women have kids at your age; my mother didn't have me until she was 35, and look how great I turned out!" he laughed, and then immediately sobered up when he saw her look. "Don't you think you're overreacting? Just a tad?"

She softened a little at his words, the crazy in her eyes dissipating as she pondered what he said. But as soon as it left, it returned, brighter than ever. "I mean, maybe, but... no! No!" He sighed and sat down on the end of her bed, and she pulled her legs up, holding her knees close to her chest. "You honestly don't know what I'm going through, Schmidt. None of you do. Cece's not even worried about it. But... I'm a planner. I've been planning on the whole marriage and two-point-five kids thing for as long as I can remember. Now I find out, I might have missed my chance? When did _that_ happen? I'm nowhere near ready for any of that stuff, but I just… I thought I had more time. Being a woman seriously sucks, Schmidt. You will never have to worry about this. What if I never find someone to do this with? What if I never even had the chance to be a mother? What if it doesn't happen for me?" She dissolved into sobs and he sighed, patting her knee. She clumsily reached for his hand and gripped his fingers tightly. They sat together for a few minutes, until her tears subsided and she hastily brushed them away with a "Sorry."

"Come on Jess, look at you. You bake cookies every day, you know the words to practically every Disney song ever written, you have the perfect breasts for nursing-" he paused and rerouted his pep talk as she cringed at his words. "Look, you… you spend all day with children and, not only do you tolerate it, you actually LIKE them and want go back the next day. You were _made_ to be a mother. This is going to happen for you."

Schmidt squeezed her fingers, and she responded by tightening her grip on his hand. He didn't know exactly when it was that he softened to her; maybe it was when they watched _Curly Sue_ together the week she moved in, or maybe when she threw him his 29th birthday party (if you forget the awkward ending when he tried to kiss her). Maybe it was the Valentine's Day they spent together or the time she helped him learn to relax. As he pondered this, Schmidt realized that they were closer than he thought. They had actually spent a lot of time together since she moved in, and... he didn't hate it? Maybe she really was his friend, maybe she _could_ make him laugh and he _could_ take care of her when she needed it. God knows he needed someone like that in his life; Nick was his best friend, but it's not like the guy was someone Schmidt could have a conversation with about _feelings_ (no matter how hard he tried). So maybe Jess could be that friend for him. And maybe she needed someone like him to be that for her, too.

"Thanks, Schmidt. You know, you can be helpful and actually kinda sweet when you're not taking your shirt off and acting like a douchebag."

"Yeah," he replied softly. "Mention that to Cece the next time you see her, will you?"

Jess rolled her eyes, but gave him a sympathetic smile. "Of course."

"And Jess, I just want you to know... I meant what I said earlier." She cocked her head at him, eyes swimming with questions. The corner of his lips turned up in response before continuing, "Let me know when you want to get pregnant, cause I'm ready." Now, just because she was his newly-appointed "best friend #2" didn't mean he had to turn off _all_ the Schmidt charm.

"Schmidt!"

"Hey baby, Schmidt sperm cannot be denied! I'm surprised you haven't gotten pregnant yet just by being around me…"

"Oh God, Schmidt. Jar!"

"I mean, look at this!" he smirked as she pushed (or tried to) him out of her bedroom. He knew he was being a douche, but she was laughing as he took off his shirt and waved it above his head, yelling, "You want you future kids to look like me, you know you do!"

"God, jar! Again!" she squealed, shoving her hands toward his chest and pushing with all her strength, falling into him a little as she realized just how physically weak she actually was. Schmidt kept swinging the shirt above his head like a lasso, and she was alternating between trying to shove him out of her room and reaching up to take the shirt from his grasp; eventually their limbs tangled together and they stumbled backwards, falling a little against her door. She could not. stop. laughing.

Jess felt like something had changed in their relationship that night. She had always loved him (she loved them all, from the minute they said she could move in), but she finally felt like he was looking at her like a friend and not just the easiest way to get into Cece's pants. He also had his own way of cheering her up; Nick was good at talking to her and letting her know she was never alone, and making her feel good about herself, and he was nice to cuddle into when she needed a hug, and he was good about getting her worked up and making her feel passionate, and... She was getting off track. Winston seemed to be a good voice of reason, somehow seeing through her crazy and providing the clearest solution (though she sensed a little crazy of his own behind that smile), but Schmidt made her laugh. He also made her roll her eyes more than anyone else she'd ever met, but she liked that he felt like the brother she never had. She's not sure how many real siblings joked about wanting to sleep together (hopefully none), but she liked their relationship the way it was and was glad to have him in her life.

"What the hell is going on!?" Their heads snapped up toward Nick's bedroom door, where he had emerged and was staring at them with a… unique expression on his face. Part confusion, part envy. They quickly separated and Schmidt rolled his eyes before staring pointedly at Nick.

"Oh please, don't be jealous. It's just friendship Nicholas, nothing more," he said with a smile, pulling away from Jess and throwing his shirt over her head onto her bedroom floor. "You can keep that. A little memento for you, Jessica." Jess laughed awkwardly, rubbing her arm and looking anywhere but at either of them. Schmidt took his cue and walked back into his room, wishing that one of them would just _make a move already_ ; the sexual tension in their loft was so thick you could practically cut it with a knife.

"I'm not…" Nick shook his head and closed his eyes tightly. When he opened them, he found Jess's and tried to give her a comforting smile. She turned to leave for her bedroom, but his hand reached out and his fingers brushed the inside of her wrist. Her breath hitched and she felt electricity running through her arm where he touched her. "Hey Jess, you okay?"

"Yeah, I think I will be," she bit back a smile and shook her head, waving off Nick's concern and backing into her bedroom. She'd probably have another panic attack tomorrow when Sadie actually called with the results, but for tonight, she was good. "Goodnight, Nick."


	3. Mars Landing

**SEASON 3: Mars Landing**

It was two a.m. after a long day of moving in the new neighbors and Nick and Jess setting the building on fire _(heathens)_ , but by now the loft was silent and everyone was asleep. Schmidt was caressing his pillow, dreaming about Cece, when his bedroom door opened quickly and slammed shut, and he opened his eyes just enough to vaguely see a small, shuddering figure lean against it. "What the-" he was interrupted when the figure let out a long, annoyingly high-pitched scream.

"AHHHHHH!"

He didn't know what was happening, but suddenly he was yelling back and then so did the voice and then so did he, _again_ ; he sat up in bed, essentially playing scream-tennis with the figure leaning against the door, and oh God, _why_ did it take him so long to figure out who it was? Who else would be doing this?

"JESS! what are you doing!?"

"I keep forgetting you're in here! sorry Schmidt, I'll just…" she gripped the doorknob like she was going to leave, but just stood there, feet unwilling to move. It was then that he looked at her face and noticed the tears running down her cheeks.

"Jess, if you wanted to sleep with me, all you had to do was say so. You don't have to sneak in during the middle of the night." She laughed a little at this, and he noticed that her smile didn't reach her eyes, but he thought that he was on his way to cheering her up. Whatever problem it was that had her breaking into his bedroom at two o'clock in the morning obviously wasn't too bad, if he already got a giggle out of her. "Seriously girl, just break up with Nick and I'm yours."

A pause, and then _"a_ _bort, abort, abort,"_ his brain screamed as he watched Jess dissolve into loud, messy, heartbreaking sobs. She clumsily fell to the floor, clutching her knees close to her chest as she pressed herself into the corner of the room and cried into her hands. Schmidt's stomach jumped into his throat and his eyes grew wide as he took in the scene before him. "Whoa Jess, I'm sorry. What did I say?"

His mind finally caught up with him and he slid off the bed, sitting down against the door beside her. He tentatively placed a hand on her shoulder, and she immediately nuzzled into his side. He couldn't think of anything to do or say, he knew that she just had to let it all out before she could think coherently, so he just held her. After sitting together for a while, the only sound in the room coming from her cries and mumbles of "Nick", she started grabbing at the skin on his chest, pinching the air surrounding him as if she was looking for something.

"...Where's your shirt?"

"What about me makes you think I sleep with a shirt on? Besides, what were you going to do, wipe your eyes and blow your nose on my pajamas? Disgusting! Here," he shifted away from her and reached into the drawer of his nightstand. "Take one of my 900-thread count handkerchiefs."

"900-thread cou- OH MY GOD it's like a cloud!"

"You can burn that when you're done, by the way." They sat together like that, her head buried in his chest and him rubbing her back, pushing her hair out of his face whenever she moved. Neither dared to break the silence, wanting to savor this moment before they had to talk and she would inevitably start crying again. He opened his mouth to speak a few times, but closed it again when he realized he didn't know what to say.

"You had a pretty big fight, huh?" he murmured, and she sniffled against his chest. "It's gonna be okay Jess. We both know you guys will make up with some disgustingly loud morning sex and everything will be back to normal."

"No. Schmidt, we-" she took a breath, as if she was steeling herself for what she was about to say. "We broke up."

He felt the shock ripple through his body before he realized he'd stopped breathing. "Jess," he said, his voice coming out a whisper. "Nick is my best friend, and he and Winston have known each other forever. But, I _promise_ , we'll be there for you too." He felt her fingers on his waist tighten as she hugged him closer and he smiled into her hair.

"So, what do you need? Tea? Ice cream? Wanna watch _Dirty Dancing_ on my laptop?" She sniffled and wiped her nose on the handkerchief again, before looking up at him with a small, watery smile.

"All three?"

"Sounds great."

Schmidt went into the kitchen, taking care to make sure his other roommates were still, somehow, asleep (one in particular). He gathered all of their food supplies, and grabbed the movie off of the bookshelf in the living room before heading back into his room. Jess had moved off the floor and was now laying on his bed, her eyes were closed and he thought for a minute that she was asleep, but then her eyes snapped open with fervor and she made room for him to sit beside her. Handing her the ice cream bowl, he placed the DVD into his laptop and set it up at the foot of his bed. He smiled at her, she simply raised her head and glanced at him in return, and he pressed play.

...

The movie was long forgotten. It played in the background, but neither Schmidt nor Jess were paying any attention to what was happening on the screen. They stayed up talking, facing each other sitting cross-legged on his -her?- bed. He tried to make her laugh and she did a few times, weak ones like she was faking it, but it was better than nothing (and better than crying). He couldn't believe that she and Nick had broken up only a few hours before, and yet she was here with him, watching _Dirty Dancing_ but not, listening to him talk and joke and try to take her mind off of it. He tried not to think about it either; he was sad for Nick and sad for Jess and honestly, a little sad for himself, but he couldn't dwell on it because she wasn't sobbing anymore and that was good. He didn't pry, didn't ask questions (though he wanted to), didn't even text Cece to let her know what was going on or ask what to do. He was simply _there_ : being someone she could laugh with and hold onto and she got a little overwhelmed with how nice it felt to be his friend. The penultimate scene of the film came on, and she gazed at the screen while "Time of Your Life" played in the background, fresh tears springing to her eyes. He flashed back to the weekend that Jess moved in; Nick dragging them to some pretentious (and that's saying something coming from Schmidt) restaurant to rescue her from being stood up. Nick had started singing to her, and he and Coach reluctantly joined in, their confidence (and volume) growing when they saw the smile dancing on her face. Schmidt looked from the laptop screen back to her face and knew she was reliving it too. Nick had always felt something for Jess; Schmidt had suspected it the minute she walked through the door and knew with absolute certainty that night Nick sang to her. _How could that dummy have screwed this up?_

"Hey Jess, remember that time we watched _Curly Sue_ and I made you swear not to tell the guys on threat of death?"

She nodded slowly, keeping her eyes on the movie playing at the end of his bed. He shook his head to himself _(was he really doing this?)_ , sat up straighter and took a deep breath before singing the first line of "You Never Know."

"Life goes on, no one gets rehearsals," he warbled, swallowing hard before finding his voice. "Life goes on, through every day reversals. With every dawn, every day is full of chances to find some good before it's gooooooooone!"

Her eyes grew wide and a small smile played on her lips. She laughed, a real Jess laugh, one that bounced around the room and settled in his ears. She started humming with him, filling in the words when he forgot, and soon they were both singing at the top of their lungs, drowning out the television and making her forget "Time of Your Life." (He hoped that Nick wouldn't wake up.) When they finished, with jazz hands of course, she fell back onto the pillows with a self-satisfied smirk on her face. He grinned down at her and watched her expression change as she remembered why she was laying here with him. He wished the happy moment could have lingered, but this was Jess, she wore her heart on her sleeve and cried thirteen times a day over superficial things. Of course this was going to hurt more.

"He didn't see a future with me."

Schmidt didn't respond, or rather, _couldn't_ , because he didn't believe what she said. There was no way _that_ was the reason they broke up… right? Nick couldn't have said that, the dope was obviously in love with her. What the hell was she talking about? Before he could interrupt and say something probably stupid, she spoke again.

"I think we're just too different. Nick doesn't like to worry about the future, or anything, and that's _all_ I do, Schmidt! That's literally all I _ever_ do. I asked him if he thought about our future, and he didn't answer me. Couldn't. Because, he doesn't. I love him, Schmidt. I know he loves me. But we can't stay together if we want different things."

Schmidt opened his mouth to respond, but the words didn't come. Honestly, he didn't know what to think. Nick has always been a serial monogamist, he fell hard and deep and never more so than with Jess. He's always loyal to his family, and friends who became family, almost to a fault. Sure, he was a little afraid of commitment and scared to take big steps, but Schmidt thought that Jess had changed all of that. Maybe those fears ran deeper than he or even Nick had known. Schmidt knew that Nick was afraid to end up like his old man (something they had in common), but was that enough for him to run from Jess and his future with her? Schmidt looked down at Jess and she was staring back at him, waiting for him to deny (or confirm) what she had said. He gave her a soft smile and laid back on the pillows beside her.

"I'm sorry Jess," he began, staring at the ceiling. "I don't know what to say. Nick's the dumbest boy in school." She laughed a little and rolled onto her back until she was staring at the ceiling too, both of them finding patterns within the textures until he broke the silence. "But, so are you if you really think he's in a different place than you are." He heard her suck in a breath but didn't respond, so he continued. "I've known Nick for a long time, and I can tell there's no one he'd rather have a white-picket fence with than you."

He stole a secret glance at her, tears threatening to spill from her eyes again until she closed them tight with certainty. She looked over at him and pressed her lips together, as if she was debating what to say.

"Thank you, Schmidt. But if he can't tell me that himself, it doesn't really change things, does it?"

He laid his head back down on the pillow, opening his arms to her as she curled her small body into his. He let her cry until she couldn't anymore (how she still had any tears left at all, he didn't know), and when she was done, he pulled away and offered her the damp handkerchief once again. She took it, laughing a little, and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Schmidt. I didn't mean to keep you up all night. I was just feeling sad and drained and... I really, _really_ wanted to sleep in my own bed."

With that, he stood and grabbed one of his pillows and a blanket from the closet. "Well Jessica, it's yours for the night. I'll take the couch."

"What? No, Schmidt. This is your room now. I can sleep on the couch, or go back to the floor in Nick's room…"

"Jess please, I insist. Now stop arguing with me so I can try to get some sleep. God woman, keeping me up all hours of the night. With no sexual reward, mind you. Downright unthoughtful." He smirked at her, and she gave him a soft smile back, standing and pressing her lips against his cheek.

"Thank you."

"For the bed?"

"Yeah, and for... everything."

* * *

 **okay, okay... I guess this one doesn't fit within canon, since we know that Schmidt doesn't find out they broke up until the next day. but maybe we can all pretend he's a really good actor when Cece tells him? ;) this one was really hard for me to write (mentally and emotionally haha), so hopefully it all came together well. thanks for reading! I haven't replied to any reviews, but I REALLY appreciate them! :D**


	4. Thanksgiving IV

**hey! sorry this took so long; with the renewal (and waiting for it) this has been a crazy couple weeks in the new girl fandom :) also i'm not sure why, but this chapter was weird for me to write. I figured out the dialogue pretty fast, but the filler in between took a while. hopefully it all flows well. as always, thanks for reading and reviewing :):):)**

* * *

 **SEASON 4: Thanksgiving IV**

Jess walked through the door, the cool air hitting her face as she stepped out onto the roof of the loft. Her eyes immediately found Nick, sitting alone on a bench and looking down at the ground, seemingly deep in thought. She wanted to go talk to him about what was on his mind, but decided against it and noticed Schmidt leaning against the ledge, looking out over the city beneath them.

"Hey there, Schmidty," she sighed, falling against the wall beside him.

He turned his head to glare at her. "Oh no, only Nick can call me that. _We,_ " he said, gesturing between her body and his, "are not that close."

"What? We're close! I've known you for four years now, don't I get the same benefits as Nick?"

"In your dreams, Jessica Day. What are you doing up here, anyway?"

"Eh, I came up to find Coach. I want to to yell at him some more about bringing Ryan here and wrecking everything."

"Well don't let me stop you, he's right over there."

"I can't, look" she gestured toward their roommate standing a few feet away. "He's talking to Pepper."

"So?"

" _So,_ " she sighed, and he turned to face her. "Just because I'm pissed at him doesn't mean I have to ruin her night too!"

"You're too kind."

"Well, what are you doing up here Schmidt? This is your day! Bangsgiving! It's like the Schmidt holiday party to end all holiday parties. You should be riding the high, why are you hiding up here talking to me?"

"I don't think it's happening between Lucy and I."

"Oh, no?"

"Nah," he sighed and lowered his gaze to the street below. "Sometimes that's how it goes, you know?"

"Hm," she replied, chewing her lip. "So you no longer have a date tonight." A gleam of something he pretended not to see flashed through her eyes, and he hoped she wouldn't go where he thought she was going. "I noticed that Cece doesn't have a date either." She went there. "Now, who was supposed to bring her a guy? Wasn't me. I know it wasn't Coach. Was it…?" She was being painfully obvious, pretending to scratch her head and looking toward the sky. He rolled his eyes before interrupting her, putting an end to this ridiculous charade.

"I _did_ call a guy for her. I did!" She narrowed her eyes at him, and he relented. "I may have told him that dinner doesn't start for another hour in the hopes that he'll show up so late that she'll reject him… but I did call." She giggled, and he tried to ignore it before sighing into laughter beside her. He relaxed for what seemed like the first time that night, leaning into her side and resting his elbows on the ledge behind them.

"So, did you and Ryan hook up back there or what?"

"No." He raised his eyebrows and gestured for her to go on. She bit her lip and looked at the ground before taking a deep breath and continued. "I don't know, I tried to do the whole 'bang one out of my system' thing like you wanted, but he just… Left. As you all saw. Not one of my greatest moments."

"Yeah, what happened there?"

"Ughhh," she whined, burying her head in her hands. "He likes me! That stupid boy... freakin' likes me. He said he wants an actual relationship, not just a one-night thing."

"Isn't that a good thing? That's who you are Jess, you're a relationship girl."

"Yeah but," she scrunched her face together and shyly looked up at him. "I don't think I'm ready for that. Plus it's, you know, it's against the rules-"

"Enough with the 'rules', Jess, no one is buying that."

"I know."

"Are _you_ even buying it?"

She paused, breathing in slowly and exhaling, the few wisps of hair on her face dancing away as she did. "No, I don't know. But I will keep using it as my excuse. Look, you don't have to tell me, Schmidt. We don't have to have a huge conversation about it. I know I'm really just afraid of getting hurt again, that's all it is. I just need to get over it." Her voice quieted while she spoke, and Schmidt watched as she played with her hands and did everything to avoid looking at their roommate (her _ex_ ) sitting on the other side of the roof.

"Jess, are you afraid of falling in love and getting hurt? Or just falling in love again at all?" She looked up at him, and he was met with the familiar sight of tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "If you fall in love again, you finally have to get over Nick. You have to be okay with letting go of him and moving on. And I think that is what's _really_ holding you back from Ryan."

Brushing the tears from her cheeks quickly, she looked away from him and forced out a weak laugh. "Dang it Schmidt, how are you so often the bane of my existence and yet, _somehow,_ able to read me better than almost anyone else?"

"It's a gift. Schmidt knows what all the ladies want."

She shoved him playfully and, linking her arm with his, rested her head on his shoulder. "I like Ryan. I do, and I want to want to be with him. It's just so…" she trailed off, sniffling and letting the soft noise of the cars below envelop them both. After a moment, she raised her head and wiped her eyes, looking into his. "How did you get over Cece?"

"Oh, well… I…" he tried to sound confident, but he couldn't help the way his shoulders slumped. "I don't know that I'll ever really get over her." The words came like a whisper, the first time he's ever said them out loud like that.

"But you've dated since her, how do you do that?"

"Honestly? I don't know, Jess. The hard things will get easier and eventually you'll start to think about them less and less. You just have to decide if it's worth it or not. Do you _want_ to let go of Nick? Is Ryan worth it?"

A shy smile danced across her lips and she looked down, twisting her fingers together nervously. "I think he could be." Schmidt felt his heart break one final time for his best friend, but he wants to be supportive of Jess. She deserves something good.

"You know who I think you should talk to?"

"I know, I know, I should go talk to Ry-"

"Nick."

Jess's features softened as she took a few minutes to absorb what Schmidt had said. Her mouth tightened into a thin line and she nodded, finally letting her eyes drift toward Nick. He was in the same position as he was when she came up the stairs, sitting on the bench with his eyes downcast. She smoothed out her dress and apprehensively played with that loose thread on the hem. Why was she nervous?

She knows why; she's not ready to give away her relationship with Nick. But they both need to move on. Telling herself this did nothing to stop the butterflies swirling in her stomach, however. This could possibly be the first real conversation she's had with him since the break up, and she doesn't know how to feel about it. Jess turned back to Schmidt and kissed his cheek quickly, her cheeks tinged with a pink of embarrassment when she pulled away. "Thanks, Schmidty," she said and this time, he didn't correct her. She could call him "Schmidty" if she wants. He watched her slowly walk over and sit by Nick, watched as his friend raised his eyes to look at her nervous grin, and watched as they both immediately relaxed into each others' gaze. Schmidt decided to give the two a moment of privacy and gestured to Coach to follow him before he turned toward the stairs.

…

"Is that from Ferris Bueller?"

"Yes it is. It's a terrific movie, and I delivered it perfectly."

"It was pretty good," she chuckled beside him, their arms tentatively brushing against each other's. Jess smiled to herself as a calm silence settled between them. Schmidt was right, she needed this.

"So when did you and Schmidt start talking to each other?"

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you guys having a pretty intense conversation over there. You put your head on his shoulder and everything. I just didn't know you guys were 'close.'"

"Schmidt and I are close!" she shrieked, unable to stop her eyes growing wide. "We've been friends for four years, why does no one get that?" Nick raised his eyebrows and snickered, and she bit back a giggle in return. He hasn't laughed with her like this in a long time, so free of tension and unease. "Sorry. I don't know, I just kinda needed… a friend. After the, you know."

She winced as she felt the mood change, turning more serious than she wanted. He nodded somberly, looking down at his hands. "You didn't go to Cece?"

"Of course Cece helped, she was amazing. I guess I got used to having a best friend _in_ the loft." She gave him a tight smile and brushed past the pain in his eyes. "It's just, different now. I think Schmidt can be a good friend for both of us."

"Yeah."

It grew quiet between them again, and Jess was desperate to talk about anything else. "Wait, when did you see me talking to him? You looked pretty lost in your own thoughts, I didn't think you noticed me come up here."

"I always notice ya, Jess."

She felt her heart melt a little like it always did when he looked at her like that, and she wanted to cry over the fact that he still has this hold on her. She broke his gaze and straightened up, and almost thought she heard him sigh but pushed it out of her mind. "Thanks for talking with me, Nick. You always know what to say."

"Yeah right, since when?" he laughed anxiously, looking away from her.

Why does he do this? Doesn't he know what he has to offer? Even though she doesn't love him anymore (or at least, that's what she tells herself), it's still hard for her to hear him talking down about himself. "Well," she placed her hand on his, squeezing his fingers for comfort. "You always know what to say to me." He looked from their hands to her eyes, and she saw a hint of sadness in his smile. Letting her fingers entwine with his for a moment too long, she pulled away and shifted her gaze from him. "I should go. I should talk to Ryan."

"Time to move on, right?"

She gave Nick a soft smile in return, patting his knee and then stood to leave. "Yeah. It's time." It took everything in her power not to look back at him, but she didn't, and opened the door to head down the stairs. She needed to see Ryan. She _wanted_ to.

Jess ran into Schmidt when she entered the loft to grab her phone, and he handed her a ceramic dish containing her homemade pumpkin pie. "I know you Jess, you may feel good now but as soon as you get out that door you'll start overthinking. Eat this on the way over, it'll distract you."

She laughed, taking the dish from his outstretched hands. "Thanks. I think I'll save it though, maybe give it to Ryan as a show of goodwill. Or a bribe, whatever."

"Sure, Jess, whatever you say. But we both know you're gonna dig into that thing in the back of the cab." She childishly stuck her tongue out at him and turned for the door. Placing her hand on the knob, she heard him shout "good luck!" behind her and, with resolution, turned the handle and stepped out toward the elevator.

 _It's time to move on._


End file.
